R

by Jason BirchmeierMore of a remix album than a new LP, R finds Stefan Betke revisiting the song that put him on the map as Pole. Originally recorded in late 1996 and initially released by Din in 1998, the Raum 12" made waves in the Berlin dub-techno community and set the stage for Pole's late-'90s breakthrough. In 2001, Betke returned to his early recording and began working on what would eventually result in four different reworkings of the initial "Raum" track. Moreover, he collaborated with guitarist D. Meteo for these four new reworkings, spicing things up a bit. To make an LP out of the affair, Betke then farmed out the "Raum" tracks to Kit Clayton and Burnt Friedman for remix treatment. Each producer offered two differing remixes. So, here's what you ultimately get: the original two "Raum" tracks, four new reworkings by Betke, and two remixes each from Clayton and Friedman. Despite the original source for these ten resulting tracks, the ultimate results are quite eclectic, making for an interesting listen. It's not quite as fascinating as a new Pole LP, but is a nice gap-filler and showcases Betke's commitment to creativity and forward-thinking. [The vinyl version of this album doesn't include the two original versions of "Raum."]